Greetings all - sorry it's taken so long for me to post a 'thank you!' here but with the NaNo on my head's been anywhere but sensible and remembering stuff.

So anyway, this is just a great big thank you to all the readers who have enjoyed 'Paper and Cotton' so much, and for everyone who played a part in helping it achieve [i]Story of the Week[/i] status, quite nice mid-NaNo as a confidence booster.

Hopefully I'll have more to come in the future, but I'm currently playing catch up with my version of Book 6 (only 3 chapters out of many done so far) and re-editing Book 5, as soon as they're done I'll be back on track - in theory!

Very well-written story. Although I'm not sure Dumbledore would've used the Killing Curse. He would have used SOMETHING, though, so I'll shut up and leave well enough alone. Especially because I absoluely love the idea of Harry calling on DD in his time of need and still receiving aid as promised.

Well that was pretty amazing, that's for sure! Well written, and a
wonderful take on the Final Battle. I think this is actually the first
post-HBP fic i've read that includes the FB. You write it well, your
action sequences had me waiting with baited breath for the next move,
and it's darn-few authors can elict that response from me.

Wow. That was really good! I loved the way you made everything... all ... cool.... yeah. Lol, I'm not sure how to describe it. It was very creative, and different. Plus, your name is Yoda, so I have to love it. xD Great job! ^^

Yoda, I’m more than happy to accept the ‘blame’ for this
wonderful fic being posted here, how could I not?

The beginning had been two years
ago with the death of Albus Dumbledore, and what her father now referred to as
their ‘descent into darkness’. ‘In the absence of light, darkness prevails,’
Harry had replied, with a strange smile on his face, ‘and things go bump in
the night. Mr. Weasley, I’m going to bump back.’

Great quotes there,
really show the strength of character Harry has developed over the last few
years.

Harry lived in Hogsmeade, staying
in a room above the Three Broomsticks, and it seemed that his very presence was
driving Voldemort’s darkness from Hogwarts. Ginny was allowed to visit him
every weekend, no questions asked or eyebrows raised if she was gone overnight.
When they came home at Christmas, her mother hadn’t even blinked when she told
them their bed was made up in Ginny's room.

Ron had gone bright pink, muttering something
about Quidditch scores on the radio.

Love, Ron’s reaction to the whole situation, just perfect, and very very, Ron.
*grins*

Ginny had returned to Hogwarts and Harry to
Hogsmeade for the next two terms, only returning to the Burrow in the last
week, after her exams had finished. They had gone to sleep last night as they
had been for the past few months, Harry gently cradling Ginny in his arms – her
warmth in a cold world.

But now he was gone.

‘But now he was gone’ A lot of
power in those five words, Yoda, a perfect contrast to the previous paragraph,
you can actually feel the emptiness Ginny is feeling.

‘He won’t,’ Hermione said, chewing her lip
nervously as she glanced between Ginny and her parents. Eventually she
continued, looking at the table as she spoke softly, ‘We’ve spent the last two
years working out how to destroy Voldemort – forever. Not just to take his
body, but him – all of his essence, down to the last hint of his soul.’

‘They needed you for the Horcruxes,’ Ginny said
tonelessly, while her feelings inside raged between sorrow and a profound anger
at her friend.

‘Only for some, Ginny, and I swear it wouldn’t
have lead to this,’ Hermione replied, fresh tears rolling down her face. ‘I
didn’t know they’d found the others, or I would never have let them go.’

How very Harry and Ron, to deliberately hide things from their partners to
keep them safe, nicely done.

‘If you make it through this,’ Ron said to Harry
over his Firewhisky, ‘Ginny will kill you.’

‘You’re meant to say ‘when’,’ Harry responded,
his voice laden with irony, ‘and that’s not half of what Hermione will do to
you. Keeping those Horcrux expeditions secret and running out on her to
fight the worst evil in the world?’

Whatever gives them that idea? Old Voldy will seem like a stroll in the
park next to Hermione and Ginny.

When the blaze had cleared, Voldemort’s eyes were
even thinner – from both surprise and anger. ‘You’re not the only one with a
new wand,’ Harry said calmly, holding Dumbledore’s by his side.

Harry using Albus’s wand? How very right, a great touch.

As Voldemort advanced Harry allowed himself a
small grin as he gestured upward, ‘ Liberacorpus! ,’ he shouted. The Death
Eater who had been sent flying upward plummeted with a scream…

Hee, you know how much I like this part!

and Harry heard a sickening snapping noise as his
wrist was suddenly twisted apart, and Dumbledore’s wand fell to the ground.

You’ve written an incredibly vivid battle sequence, Yoda, so you don’t mind
if I flinch, do you?

‘ I will only have truly left this
school when none here are loyal to me…help will always be given at Hogwarts to
those who ask for it, Harry. ’

A nice nod back, to the previous books, and something that may well come
back in the last book, considering the importance, Harry’s loyalty to
Dumbledore is given in book 6.

‘ Until I am needed again, Harry, as I have
always planned. And thank you for the socks. ’

‘They’re cotton,’ Harry said with a grin

Hee Hee!

‘You came back,’ she whispered, her hand fighting
free of the sheets to caress his face. ‘You came back to me.’ She sat up,
wrapping both her arms around his neck and pulling herself into Harry’s chest.

Hugging her back fiercely, Harry felt tears
running freely down his face as well. ‘I never left you,’ he whispered, feeling
the crumpled letter pressing against the back of his head beneath her hand.
‘I’ll never leave you.’

Why would he! Now he’s home?

See, a long review, and not once do I
question that you have actually written fluff!

Very good, I like the idea of Dumbledore and Fawks acting as guardians. You could have explained with just a little more detail why Harry and Ron left the girls behind. It's obvious of course, but a little more reflection on it from the boys' side would make it more transparent. - But that's just a detail, great story!

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